The federal government has announced plans to broaden the homegrown school feeding program to benefit 20 million students by 2026, characterizing the initiative as both a social investment and a measure of national security.
Vice President Kashim Shettima made this announcement on Friday during the national policy forum on the Institutionalization and Implementation of the Renewed Hope national homegrown school feeding program in Abuja.
The event was organized by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria and other partners.
Speaking on behalf of the Vice President, his Special Adviser on Economic Affairs, Dr. Kolade Fasua, stated that the expansion, part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, represents the most significant advancement in the program’s history.
He noted that the updated initiative aims to increase school enrollment, improve educational outcomes, and create reliable markets for smallholder farmers, women entrepreneurs, and local food processors.
“This year, the government reintroduced the Renewed Hope national homegrown school feeding program, marking a strong commitment to scaling up and systematizing the initiative.
“In conjunction with this, we launched the alternate education and renewed hope school feeding project, which aims to support out-of-school and highly vulnerable children, with a goal of reaching up to 20 million by 2026,” the vice president explained.
He also mentioned that integration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database will promote transparency, ensuring that “real students receive real meals, and every naira spent benefits both the child and the local economy.”
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While acknowledging that nationwide implementation could cost up to N1 trillion, Shettima emphasized that the program should be seen as an investment rather than a cost.
“Every hot meal served in a classroom is not just food—it serves as a deterrent against recruitment into violent groups, reinforces the state’s presence, and offers hope in conflict-affected communities,” he stated.
He further highlighted that connecting farmers, cooks, women entrepreneurs, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to the program would strengthen families, reduce vulnerability, and mitigate the factors contributing to insecurity.
Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Tanko Sununu, represented by the Director of Social Development, Valentine Ezulu, called for the establishment of a national homegrown school feeding Act to provide legal support for the program.
He also suggested creating a nutrition guideline aligned with international best practices to ensure that children receive safe, balanced, and healthy meals.
